Relative Clauses

Exercises

Explanation

Defining Relative Clauses

These clauses give important information about the noun.
Without them, the sentence doesn’t make full sense.
No commas are used.

Examples:

• The woman who works at the shop is my aunt.

• The dog that barked all night is my neighbor’s.

• This is the movie which everyone is talking about.

Non-Defining Relative Clauses

These clauses add extra information. You can remove them, and the sentence still makes sense.
Use commas to separate the clause.

Examples:

• My brother, who lives in Canada, is coming to visit.

• Paris, which is the capital of France, is a beautiful city.

• We went to the beach, where we swam all day.

Clauses referring to the whole sentence

Sometimes the relative clause gives information about the whole sentence, not just one word.
It usually starts with which, and we use commas.

Examples:

• I missed the bus, which made me late for work.

• She passed her exam, which surprised everyone.

• He forgot my birthday, which was really sad.

Appositive Clauses

This type explains an idea or abstract noun like hope, fact, reason, or idea.
It often uses that, whether, how, or why.
No commas are used.

Examples:

• I have a feeling that something is wrong.

• There is no reason why you should worry.

• We discussed the question whether to move abroad.